Have you ever used a dating app to jumpstart your love life? If not, here’s what to expect from using the Internet to find the love of your life.
If you are an avid social media user, you should be aware of the popular dating websites and applications. Every year, more and more developers are releasing different kinds of dating applications, in order to cater to the needs of the masses.
Organic dating is still prominent worldwide, but online dating is starting to pick up the pace, especially with the younger generation. Some who are not privy to the workings of online dating are reluctant to try it because of security reasons and a general assumption that people you meet online aren’t as genuine as people you meet in person.
Why do people avoid dating apps?
When online dating was first introduced, most of the users were actually sincere about their intentions of finding a person to fall in love with online. As its popularity grew, the sleazy portion of the population started to join the fun and ruin the reputation of online dating altogether.
Aside from that, a lot of people got hurt from using online dating. Stalkers started sprouting left and right. Gold-diggers started scamming their partners for money. There are those who were more inclined to bullying others because of the anonymity dating apps offered. It was all one big mess.
Fortunately, a new generation decided to develop a more secure approach to online dating. Greater security measures are now taken to ensure privacy. Companies have also started to emphasize the value of not trusting anyone immediately.
There are still victims of the negative aspects of online dating, but there are many more who have received positive results in their lives because of it. Like with any other technological endeavor, there had to be a trial and error phase for the concept of online dating. Unfortunately, human lives and emotions were the subjects of this experiment.
Why do people use dating apps?
The point of online dating is simply to create a medium for you and a possible love interest to connect without having to scour the streets for each other. Online dating has made it easier for people to find someone they’re more compatible with, as opposed to the ones they’ve already met in their social circles.
Some of the reasons why people legitimately pursue online dating aren’t as noble as the search for true love, though. Some use online dating as a distraction or a way to elicit an affair with a stranger. Some use it for research purposes, while some are just curious to know what it has to offer.
Still, you can’t ignore that there are those who really think that online dating is a good option. They send out their hopes through servers and routers hoping that their soul mate will realize that they are just a click away. And it’s not impossible.
Thousands of people have attested to the fact that they found their other halves through online dating. After all, it’s hard to find someone to date in real life, and that’s why online dating, although unconventional, still gets the job done. The downside, however, is that it’s harder to trust someone you met online rather than someone who you can easily find and search for within your neighborhood.
Pros and cons of online dating
You now know the reasons why people choose to use dating apps. But are you sure that it’s the right fit for you? Let’s discuss the pros and cons of online dating so you can decide whether it’s something that you might be interested in.
The cons of online dating apps
#1 Location. Most of the time, you can’t control who you’re attracted to online. When that person turns out to be situated on the other end of the world, you start to doubt whether online dating is really worth the effort to engage in a long distance relationship.
#2 Perverts. Who would have thought that the Internet could produce millions of perverted human beings? The numerous sexual advances aren’t the only problems. You’ve got pedophiles, flashers, racist sex deviants and many more. That list alone is enough to make you think twice about trying online dating. [Read: 9 types of pervy guys and how to spot them on a date]
#3 Criminals. Apart from the perverted sector of online dating, there are also criminals at large in the World Wide Web. There are serial killers, rapists, scammers, gold diggers and even identity thieves.
#4 Assholes. Judging from my experience, there is a veritable trove of people who have attitude problems. People are more prone to showing their true colors online, because they assume that they won’t be held accountable for their rude and obnoxious behavior. [Read: 25 biggest deal breakers for women]
#5 Relationship-to-hookup ratio. Unfortunately for a lot of people who are looking for relationships, most people who use dating apps are only on it to look for hook-ups. There are other apps and websites that offer specific options based on intentions, religion, race and methods of choosing. You still can’t be sure whether they’re sincere or not, but at least the choices have been narrowed down to people who want the same things that you do. [Read: 16 signs your date will just be another hookup]
#6 Cyber-bullying. There are numerous forms of cyber-bullying that can be applied to online dating. People can ridicule your appearance, personality, profession, race, lifestyle, etc. Some will even use your picture on various websites for purposes that you would never approve of.
#7 Depression. The rate of failure when one uses online dating apps and sites is slightly higher than what is generally assumed. People who want relationships start to doubt their ability to find a mate because of the consistent fail rate of online dating.
You shouldn’t worry, though, because it is not your fault. It happens because online dating is the same as real life dating. Online dating just increases the number of people you interact with, as opposed to real life settings.
#8 Dishonesty. The people you meet online have the capacity to create a persona that is not in line with who they are in real life. They can fake their job, location, personality and even their appearance. Reserve your judgment when you have had enough time to learn more about the person that you’re about to date, and always ask to see them using a webcam or to meet you in person.
The pros of online dating
#1 Options. You literally have billions of options on a global scale. Even if you were the pickiest person on Earth, there is still a chance that you could find that perfect person in the sea of online daters. Even if you don’t, you still have access to the next best person and the next, next best person and the next… you get what I mean.
#2 Variety. Online dating allows you to meet new people that you’d never expect to meet in real life. They come from different places, are part of different cultures, and are interested in things you probably never even heard of. Online dating is an eye-opening experience that can help you connect with someone who can introduce you to new things.
#3 Anonymity. It’s part pro and part con. The pro side of anonymity is that you can be more expressive when you interact with people online. Even if someone judges you or bullies you, they can easily be blocked and ignored. Still, you have to take precautions about what you divulge when talking to a stranger.
#4 Sexual freedom. Most people who use online dating are only interested in sex. It’s easy to find someone to hook up with online. Just remember to check up on who you’re seeing and take the necessary precautions when having sex with someone you’ve just met. [Read: 10 casual relationship rules to keep it casual]
#5 Communication. Online dating gives you the chance to get to know someone using a different approach. When you see each other in person, you try to cram every thought you have into half a night together. When you start talking to a prospective partner online, you can’t help but engage in longer conversations that can go on all day. That’s the beauty of technology – you don’t need to wait for an immediate reaction.
#6 Transparency. Although you can’t be sure about who you’re really talking to online, some people are easier to look up than others. People are more inclined to express their beliefs and personalities online using Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. It makes it easier for you to see who you’re talking to and learn how they interact with other people.
#7 Less pressure. When you meet someone online, you don’t need to make a decision about them immediately. You can take time to learn more about them and see what they’re like through the conversations that you have. If it doesn’t work, you don’t have to avoid them on the street or at work. You can even delete them from your life entirely!
#8 Finding the love of your life. This is the best part of online dating and real life dating too. Even if the method is not as traditional or as personal as you expected when you’re online, the results can be the same. You’re still meeting real people who have real feelings. Falling in love is possible, even if it’s through a screen. [Read: 10 exciting ways to find your missed connection]
[Read: 14 dos and don’ts of online dating]
If you’re still not sure whether you want to use dating apps or dating sites, you can at least try it without revealing too much of yourself. You can study other people’s profiles and see what catches your eye. You never know. The love of your life might just be a click or tap away.
